The increasing use of disposable syringes and needles and the prevention of the reuse of this equipment has become an important health issue as diseases, and, in particular, incurable and sometimes fatal diseases such as hepatitis and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), spread by used equipment persist and grow.
Originally the hypodermic needle was reusable, requiring sterilization between each use and occasional resharpening. The number of needles disposed of was therefore very low and the needles were only disposed of because the usable life of the needle had been reached. Control over reusable needles could be kept very strict, and doctor and nurse regularly sterilize their needles. Nevertheless, in a number of cases, needles were believed to be a means of spreading infection.
Today, in effort to reduce spread of infection needles are disposed of after one use, and in an unsterile condition. The numbers of needles used makes control over them very difficult as large supplies of the packaged sterile needles are kept on hand and the used needles, quite capable of being reused, are simply disposed of with little or no afterthought.
It is the disposed-of needles that often end up in the hands of illicit drug users. The needles are obtained in a contaminated condition and each reuse further contaminates the needle.
The contaminants found include biologically active contaminants such as viruses. Hepatitis has long been associated with intravenous drug users. However, today attention has been focused upon the spread of HIV (Human Immune Virus), associated with AIDS, through the intravenous drug community.
Methods of preventing the reuse of a syringe have been proposed. However, needles may still be removed from these syringes and the needles then reused.
Syringes may be fabricated from eyedroppers, from pipettes and rubber bulbs or other materials. The requirement of a needle for intravenous introduction of a substance does not allow such freedom in substitution or fabrication.
In the past doctors, nurses and those others that would use disposable needles have deliberately blunted or broken the needles before disposing of them. However, not all needle users performed this precaution and those performing it may not do so in every case. Since this requires an additional step, it is easy to grow lax. The number of needles in use by so many professionals also leads to a more casual manner in disposal of the needles.
The availability of needles, much more so than syringes, is a factor in the spread of life threatening diseases and the reuse of disposable needles has proven to be a large factor in the availability of needles.